April, 1938
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
151
I N T E R N A T I O N A L L E S S O N Comm en tary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson Children's Division Golden Text Illustration Object Lesson B y B. B. S utc I iffe B y G retchen S ibley B y H elen G ailey B y A lan S. P earce B y E lmer L. W ilder Points and Problems B y A lva J. M c C lain
M A Y 1, 1938 FOLLOWING VISION W ITH SERVICE M ark 9:14-29
banished when, in the believer, there is such close union with Christ arid His pur poses that “prayer and fasting” (v. 29) be comes a natural spiritual exercise, not a showy, legalistic display. But we Chris tians still cry: “ If thou canst” ! implying that the trouble is not with us. Nothing would be impossible if faith were present. However, this truth must be guarded care fully in its presentation. W e must ever re member the word, “ If we ask any thing 'according to his will . . ( 1 John 5:14). In fasting and prayer over the open BibleA God’s will is revealed to the Christian. The disciples were, as we say, “ out of touch” with their Lord, though in a literal sense they were near to Him. One may be “ out of touch”—without that intimacy that makes real the restraining and conquering; power of the Lord, and painfully at the mercy of the world, the flesh, and the devil. One may be “ out of touch”—his heart grown cold and indifferent. Terrible reality! The cure for this condition is to be found in prayer and fasting, in communion with Christ which is more to be desired than one’s natural food. Prayer is three fold. It involves dependence upon God, confidence concerning His actions, and obe dience to His commands. Fasting expresses denial of self. By exhortation and by ex-, ample, the Lord Jesus Christ pleads with us to fast and pray, in order that we may’ be instrumental in the rebuking of Satan’s power, and in the release of Satan’s victims. Points and Problems 1. “I have brought unto thee” (Mk. 9:17). Here is clear evidence of the faith of the distraught father. His original thought was to bring his son to Christ, not to His dis ciples. 2. "Wheresoever he taketh him” (v. 18). The first pronoun refers to the evil spirit, the second to the son. The statement does not mean that the spirit transported the victim from place to place, but that where- ever he was when the demon seized him, the same distressing effects followed. 3. “ Taketh . . . teareth . . . foameth, and gnasheth . . . pineth away” (v. ,18). In these graphic verbs we have a picture of the progress of the demon’s evil work. The meanings are as follows: First, the demon "seized" him. Second, the demon “ con vulsed” him. Third, the victim “foamed” at the mouth and “ground" his teeth. Finally, he “fainted” — lost consciousness. The verb does not refer to a gradual wasting away, but to an immediate effect. 4. “ The spirit tare him” (v. 20) . . . “rent him sore” (v. 26). These are two translations of the same Greek word, but a different one from the one rendered “ tear eth” in verse 18. The ancient Hippocrates, father of the art of medical healing, used the word to describe “spasmodic retching
20). Our Lord’s presence usually had a soothing effect upon those who were phys ically ill, but it stirred the demons to wrath. This demonized boy had been brought to the disciples of the Lord, but they “ were riot able” (R. V.) to give the needed help. Satan, who actuated the demons, is a reality, a mighty personality, possessing power against which man’s strength is vain. Only the power of the Lord Jesus Christ can wrest Satan’s victims from his grasp. II. T he S upremacy of J esus (19-27) Referring to the afflicted boy, “ Bring him unto me,” Jesus said. “ And they brought him unto him.” How very simple and yet how effective was the method followed! Hear the word, do the word, and leave re sults with Him (vs. 19, 20). There came a full acknowledgment of the trouble and the disciples’ impotence to meet it (vs. 21-24). Then was heard the pitiful cry of the distressed father, “ If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us” (v. 22). Note the words of the man: “ If thou canst.” Our Lord took up the father’s word, and in so doing must have made clear to the father at once that there was no question about His power to help. Turning to the man, the Lord Jesus put the proposition to him: “ If thou canst believe . . .” (v. 23). When the ability in Christ is recognized, and the inability in men is acknowledged, we can confidently look for Him to work the desired miracle. Christ spoke to the demon directly (vs. 25-27). In the light of this one account, if there were no others, it is amazing that any person should deny the reality of demons. That they are intelligent person alities is clearly implied. III. T he P ower of U nbelief (28, 29) The strongest ally Satan has is the be lief that is shown among the Lord’s people. It is the thing that gives Satan his power and that robs Christians of their spiritual strength. It hinders the church, like the disciples, from doing exploits in the name of the conquering Christ (cf. v. 28). It is
Mark 9 :14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. 15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. 16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? 17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; 18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him; and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and X spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. 19 He answereth him, and saith, 0 faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. 20 And they brought him unto him : and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him.; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. 21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. 22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him : but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears,, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. 26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. 28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. Golden Text: “ All things are possible to him that believeth” (Mk. 9:23). Devotional Reading: Acts 26:19, 20; Ro mans 12:1, 2. Outline and Exposition I. T he W ork of S atan (14-18) C OM ING down from the mount of glory, our Lord mei a situation in which Satan’s power was felt in a marked way. The disciples of the Lord Jesus, together with a great multitude, were engaged in a discussion concerning a per son possessed by a demon (vs. 14-16). When the father of the demonized boy brought him to Jesus, the power of the de mon was manifested in violence (vs. 17, 18, [ These lessons are developed from out lines prepared by the Committee on Im proved Uniform Lessons of the Interna tional Council. The outlines are copyrighted by the International Council of Religious Education and used by permission. Scripture portions quoted are from the King James Version unless otherwise stated. — E ditor .]
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